Friday, May 4, 2012

Mint julep

The Kentucky Derby is tomorrow, marking the high holiday of one of the Great American Cocktails, the mint julep.

(Boston Herald)

For nearly a century, the Mint Julep has been the "The Official Drink of the Kentucky Derby." But before it was the toast of the Kentucky Derby, the the mint julep was a political icebreaker in the nation's capital.

(Examiner)

If youre anything like me, there is one thing you look forward to the most on Kentucky Derby day, and its not whether you hit a 1-20 bet. Well, yes, you look forward to that too. But there is a surer thing at your Derby party.

(The Stir)

What a distinctly American mess it is! A mint julep is best when simply prepared, but it is always a complex drink—labor intensive and culturally knotty. For centuries, intraregional beefs have raged regarding its most correct preparation.

(Slate)

Ah, the mint julep. One of the oldest, most revered and hotly debated fixtures of the drinking world. The name originates from the Arab word julab, which was likely a medicinal rose water concoction.

(KOAT 7)

The 138th Kentucky Derby is being run Saturday, May 5 at Churchill Downs in Louisville, KY, which means thousands of people will be on hand to wear big hats, bet on their favorites and of course drink mint juleps.

(Zap2it.com)

LOUISVILLE, Ky., April 18, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past 25 years, the Early Times Mint Julep has proudly served as the Official Drink of the Kentucky Derby®.

There is a man renowned across the land for his knowledge of the storied mint julep, and his name is Joe Nickell. So is mine. According to my father (whose name – Nick Nickell – was itself rather redundant), Joe and I are distant cousins.